The present invention relates to paint trays for use with paint rollers and, in particular, it concerns a tray assembly with a selectively engagable splash guard.
It is known to provide a paint roller tray for use with a paint roller. Paint roller trays typically have an inclined roller surface sloping downwards into an adjacent paint reservoir or trough. In use, paint is poured into the reservoir and a paint roller is then dipped into the paint. The roller is then rolled against the inclined surface so as to distribute the paint evenly thereon prior to use. The inclined surface is typically inclined downwards towards the reservoir so that excess paint left on the surface drains back into the reservoir. Such trays are readily and cheaply manufactured by plastic injection molding as mass-produced items which may conveniently stacked in compact nested piles for storage and transportation.
A common problem associated with such trays is that of paint splashing while the roller is being dipped. Specifically, the aforementioned procedure of priming the roller with paint is typically performed by rolling the roller down and back up the inclined surface such that it repeatedly enters the reservoir. This backwards and forwards motion of the roller generates waves in the paint within the reservoir, giving rise to slopping of paint over the edges of the tray. A similar problem of paint spillage occurs during moving of the tray from one position to another. A splash guard cannot readily be added to such trays due to the requirements for nested stacking, and/or the limitations of simple, low-cost injection molding techniques.
There is therefore a need for a paint roller tray assembly which would provide a selectively engagable splash guard which would reduce the aforementioned problems of paint spillage while allowing the use of simple and cost effective injection molding manufacturing techniques, and/or which would not limit the ability of the tray to be nested for compact stacking during storage and transportation.